What to do with rose bushes in October: gardeners' tips

Roses adorn our gardens with their blooms from the first real warmth until the first frost. But this takes a lot of energy, so in the fall, the plant needs to be fertilized to overwinter well and bloom again in the next season.

According to the publication "Our own agronomist", the composition of autumn fertilization for roses should be different from spring or summer. It should restore the strength of the plant, not stimulate its growth. To do this, it is advisable to fertilize the flowers twice: in early September and in October, when it starts to get significantly colder.

What to avoid

Organic fertilizers, such as mullein solution or green grass infusion, are not suitable for autumn fertilizing roses. Such products contain a lot of nitrogen, which stimulates the growth of green mass, which can even be dangerous on the eve of winter. You should also not add iron, copper, and magnesium - they are needed during the period of intense flowering, not preparation for the winter period. Therefore, special products for roses should also be postponed until spring.

What fertilization do roses need in the fall

To increase winter hardiness, rose bushes need potassium and phosphorus. They help to improve metabolic processes in the plant and protect roses at the cellular level from the effects of frost. These two elements also increase the plant's immunity. This will affect the spring - the flower will be less vulnerable to infections and pests.

Foliar fertilization with phosphorus

Phosphorus activates the processes of wood tissue formation, which is important in the cold season. To ensure that it is well absorbed, it is worth foliar feeding roses with superphosphate. Dissolve 45-50 grams of superphosphate in a liter of hot water (60-70ºC). When the product is completely dissolved in water, dilute the mixture with clean water to get a full bucket of liquid. Spray the rose leaves with it. This spraying should be done in September.

Root fertilization with potassium and phosphorus

To prepare a potassium-phosphorus mixture for soil application, dissolve 15 grams of superphosphate and 17 grams of potassium monophosphate in a bucket of water. Another fertilizer option is a solution of 10 grams of potassium sulfate, 25 grams of superphosphate, and 2.5 grams of boric acid in a bucket of water. Such solutions are applied under the bushes at the rate of a bucket of liquid per 4-4.5 square meters of land.

Fertilizing roses with ash

You can also prepare a rose fertilizer based on ash. It contains all the elements necessary for the flower and prevents the soil from becoming acidic. The ash can be applied dry during the autumn digging of the flower garden. Or you can prepare an infusion. Two glasses of dry ash are dissolved in a bucket of water and kept for 48 hours, and then used for watering.

Fertilizing roses before frost

The second autumn fertilization of roses is carried out before the start of frost. If you did not have time to do the first one, try not to miss the second one. It can be carried out with the same means as in September. Or you can cover the ground above the roots with ripe garden compost with the addition of ash. Such mulching will protect the root system of the rose bush from the cold, and under the influence of soil microorganisms will gradually release nutrients that the plant can easily absorb.

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